Which prepcourse worked for you/have you heard good things about?

[Sweetpri]

Has anyone take the Powerscore weekend course?  The closest class is a couple of hours away from me so my only option would be the weekend cram course - which is offered the weekend before the Feb. LSAT.  Will that be too late considering I'll already have been studying with their bibles for months?

[prbaglady]

I took a testmasters full length course and it raised my score by 15 pts (sept lsat) and i was practicing at 20+ points above my diagnostic after september (lets hope the dec lsat reflects that), so it really REALLY helped.  Their methods are smart and effective.  If you take the class and you do all the work involved, you will be more prepared than 99.9% of test takers out there. 

Nonetheless, Im sure that a powerscore alum will say the same thing about their class.  just pick whichever one of the two is most convenient in terms of schedule and location.

Through both classes you will have access to every LSAT question ever released- something that would cost you 500+ if you were to purchase the materials on your own.

Also, take one of the early onset courses. That way, the schedule won’t be as hectic, and you'll be done with the class a few weeks before the test.  You can then focus on taking preptests up until the exam.

[dbmuell]

I took Powerscore and thought it was useful but here is my advice to you:

Take a preptest on your own first.  If you score above 160, forget the classes and just get the LR and LG bibles.  The classes are very effective if you are having trouble with some of the basics, but if you are already comfortable enough to score a 160+, you will spend a lot of time sitting in a classroom listening to review of things that came naturally to you. This is time that could be better spent self-studying, taking prep tests, and pushing your score up on your own.  Just one guy's opinion. 

[Sunny2006]

I took Powerscore and thought it was useful but here is my advice to you:

Take a preptest on your own first.  If you score above 160, forget the classes and just get the LR and LG bibles.  The classes are very effective if you are having trouble with some of the basics, but if you are already comfortable enough to score a 160+, you will spend a lot of time sitting in a classroom listening to review of things that came naturally to you. This is time that could be better spent self-studying, taking prep tests, and pushing your score up on your own.  Just one guy's opinion. 

Completely agree.

[esquirek4]

I took a Testmasters prep course for the Sept 2006 test.  I needed to improve most in LR.  Testmasters doesn't publish ANY LR answer explanations, which makes improvement in LR very difficult.  I studied for the Dec. test using Powerscore's LR Bible and LSAC SuperPrep.  My score on LR improved immensely once I read explanations.  As a result, I have totally lost faith in TM as a good prep course.  I think Kaplan and Powerscore are much better options, especially for anyone in the D.C. area (where I'm from).

[theo]

I took a Testmasters prep course for the Sept 2006 test.  I needed to improve most in LR.  Testmasters doesn't publish ANY LR answer explanations, which makes improvement in LR very difficult.  I studied for the Dec. test using Powerscore's LR Bible and LSAC SuperPrep.  My score on LR improved immensely once I read explanations.  As a result, I have totally lost faith in TM as a good prep course.  I think Kaplan and Powerscore are much better options, especially for anyone in the D.C. area (where I'm from).

I'm a former Kaplan student and a former instructor for Testmasters (and others).

If you had a poor and/or inexperienced instructor, sorry to hear it, but if you take the trouble to attend class and use the helpline, the relative lack of LR explanations isn't great, but it sure ain't fatal.

Glad the LRB and Superprep were of help; they are each excellent, but don't go recommending Kaplan, whatever you do.  They continue to reek.

As for Powerscore, you should search joegibbsredskins' posts for a DC Powerscore horror story.

TM, PS, and Griffon are easily the best full-length courses in the DC area, but it's always a good idea to check the experience/credentials of the particular instructor teaching your course.

[Last King of Edinburgh]

Take a cue from this man. Spent $1200 on a prepcourse and was a colossal error. Sept LSAT, 162, same thing I averaged before I took a prepcourse. Practised on my own for december and the last preptest I took on thursday night before the exam turned up a 168, four before that were 169. 6 points increase just using the powerscore LR bible and the Powersocre logical reasoning bibles. Perhaps the biggest error I made this year is wasting that 1200 bucks. I dont know about other people but anybody who stands in from of me with a book and series of questions that he's practised over and over the years is no magician. make up some games in your head, answer any LR question in your sleep without getting in your prep course zone, then I'd be willing to pay you even $3,000. I guess you guyz can tell I'm really pissed....it may be different for you guyz, this is just personal...nothing more..

[Sweetpri]

I also wasted the same amount of money on a Kaplan class and it was terrible - my score went up 2 points from the diagnostic to the last practice test but I think that was a just a fluke - but it prevented me from getting my money back =(

[esquirek4]

My TM instructor definitely wasn't great but he wasn't awful either.  I attended every class and did all the homework.  Yet without LR explanations, I just kept making the same mistakes over and over again.

As for Kaplan, the only reason I would recommend them is because they allow access to all of LSAC's previous published tests AND have explanations for every answer choice.  I can't speak for the quality of their classes, but since they publish all their class material, going to class seems unnecessary anyway.

My problem with TM is not just the lack of explanations either.  Overall, I think TM is too concerned with copyright issues and protecting their course materials.  What other reason is there for not including ANY written explanations? They are beyond paranoid.  TM doesn't allow their own students to print some things off online.  You HAVE to go to class to make sense of any of the lessons.  Yet, most intelligent people do not have to sit through 4 hours of class to understand each lesson. I felt so much of my time was wasted.  At least PS and Kaplan let their students teach themselves if the classes suck.

[Sharkbait]

I started as a self study-er, took a PowerScore weekend course, postponed September and took Griffon Prep and took the Dec test.

PowerScore weekend was a waste of my money. I had a looney teacher and while there were many good points, it's hard to grasp with 30+ people in the room and 16 hours of classtime.

I knew of Griffon Prep and I signed up and I could not have been happier. Small classes, approachable and reachable teachers, and tons of help if you needed it outside of the class itself.

If you are in the DC area, I'd go Griffon Prep without a doubt. If you look them up online, they also do phone tutoring. You can get 1 hr free to see how it is and if it will work for you. Give them a call. I had someone else on this board ask me about them, she did the 1 hr free and then signed up for phone tutoring. She's in LA and they are in DC, so it can be done.

GoodLuck!